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Beat-juggling techniques

In the final part of our Beats Special, we look at how you can use FL Studio’s Performance mode for beat juggling…

BEATS SPECIAL

Technique Beat-juggling techniques with FL Studio

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Performance mode was added to FL Studio primarily as a live performance tool, and has since been seen in numerous YouTube videos and live performances. The following tutorial explains different ways it can be used for creative beat juggling in an actual live situation, or during song production.

Essentially, Performance mode in FL Studio is the ability to trigger any audio, pattern or automation clip in the playlist directly, each playing independently of the project time line. These can be set to loop, play as one shots or other special playback modes, such as Marching clips.

Control can be achieved by simply clicking clips with the mouse, pressing keys on your typing keyboard, playing notes on a MIDI controller keyboard, pressing on a multi-touch screen or via one of the supported hardware controllers. The Novation Launchpad S is an ideal example, along with others such as the Livid BASE or even the DJ TechTools MIDI Fighter 3D. LED feedback of the available clips and which ones are playing is displayed. Many also include custom note and controller layouts, so you can combine your clip triggering with melodic lines, finger drumming or parameter automation directly on the same device. Scene mode on hardware devices will trigger multiple clips via a single press, while Snap mode can change or bypass the current trigger quantisation value for creative changes. Instead of being placed in a separate window or tab as in Ableton Live, the area where you trigger your clips is just another part of the normal playlist. Anything before your song-start marker can be triggered. Additional markers define columns of pads on external controllers. The orientation of the clips is horizontal, matching each playlist track.

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Find the complete article and many more in this issue of
MusicTech
-
Apr-16

About MusicTech

The new issue of MusicTech is on sale Thursday, March 17th and this month we’re bringing you a 'Big Beats Special!'; we gathered together as many tutorials (for all levels) to help you provide that all-important backbone to your music productions. Or if you are some kind of ambient maestro, you’ll be pleased with a certain level of synthesis achieved over our 6 Of The Best, DIY Eurorack, Sound Design and Yamaha Montage features. As ever, enjoy the issue and send us some of the resulting beats. We like to Show Off Your Studios and we’ll soon be Showing Off Your Sounds, too, so keep it all coming.